A Treasure of Sapphires
by Gaviotica31
Summary: During their first trek of Neverland, Emma falls under a strange curse and only one person can save her. Will he get to her on time, before she loses herself completely? Rating may go up.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

_**A/N: First of all, endless thanks to my lovely soulmatey Noe (colinostahpit), and to the awesome Hilary (lady-silverblood) who both helped me betaing, polishing and editing this little story. You both rock and I love you with the passion of a thousand Killians (yes, I know that sounded strange, but bear with me, it's 1 AM over here xD).**_

_**Second of all, a little background on what inspired me to write this. This story was inspired by several things, and some headcanons from my shipmates over on Tumblr: the headcanon that somewhere along the line Emma may fall under some sort of curse and that Killian will feel her in danger, just as Charming did with Snow in "Apple Red as Blood"; the parallel with Snowing regarding to episodes 1x03 - 2x03 (when they first met and when they got married in the lake, respectively) and that maybe on episode 3x06 we would get either their first kiss, love declaration, or both; and finally, this was also inspired by the Charmed episode "A Witch's Tail" where Phoebe turns into a mermaid. This fic will have 3 chapters and an epilogue, and the rating is T for now but it may go up ;-)**_

_**I hope you enjoy it and I swear I won't make another one of these über long author's notes, LOL =P**_

It had been a week since they arrived in Neverland, after the less-than-pleasant jump through the portal aboard the _Jolly Roger,_ but this was the first day they had left the ship, and Emma was happy that they were finally doing something to find Henry. Not that the past week had been wasted; Hook had been more than helpful explaining the general layout of the land, and letting them know which plants they could eat and which ones they couldn't even touch lest they die some horrific and painful death. Emma had expected Neverland to be a dark and menacing place ever since Gold and Hook had looked so wary at finding out Henry had been taken here. And after more than six months living among fairytales, she had come to accept the fact that our world's version of them were, as Hook had so cutely pointed out, merely "lovely tales" – lovely, but quite inaccurate.

Neverland was, on the surface, the most gorgeous place she had ever seen. Everything was so bright and full of light that when she first laid eyes on the island, she wondered if she had ever seen real colors before. The vegetation was gorgeous, especially the ones that were the deadliest, and the sky was always a perfect clear blue, with the brightest and biggest stars she had ever imagined. Every dawn was a spectacle that would put the aurora borealis to shame. But just as with the mermaids' song Hook had told them about, it lured you in with beauty before dragging you down to inevitable death.

That was why they had waited a whole week before venturing out, in pairs according to Hook and Gold's suggestion, trying to find clues that would lead them to the Lost Boys. Emma knew the delay was inevitable, her head understood that perfectly, but her heart kept yelling at her for having wasted seven whole days. Now she was cranky, she was hot (_God,_ was it hot here, Hook had lent them some clothes since it had been obvious that what they were wearing was perfectly ill-suited to the hot and humid weather), and she couldn't help but feel frustrated and more than a little scared that they wouldn't find Henry in time. She didn't even hear what her mother was saying, her anxiousness and weariness growing with every passing minute. She was becoming more and more worried about Henry, but she hadn't had any nightmares for once since they had gotten here.

Suddenly, she found herself playing yesterday's events in her mind once more, sinking into the memories while her feet kept carrying her forward…

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_She was tossing and turning in her bunk belowdecks, sleep refusing her once more. They would finally get to land tomorrow to start looking for Henry, yet she couldn't help but feel guilty for her little (well, not so little) outburst earlier, when she snapped at everyone for having wasted precious time instead of going after Henry the minute they went through the portal. She had been especially hurtful towards Hook, and she hated to admit that was the main reason she was having so much trouble sleeping right now. Her words were still ringing through her head, and she cringed at the memory._

_They had just finished eating, and were talking about how the teams would be formed for the trek tomorrow. Emma was losing her patience and her temper, and she got up from the table and stalked to the door, more than a little annoyed._

"_Emma, honey, this is important. You should give us your input," her mother said gently. "About the teams."_

"_I don't care about the teams. All I care about is that we are _finally_ doing something after sitting here for a whole week doing nothing but endless discussions like this one, coming up with plans that all of you decided were pointless, wasting precious time looking at maps. All I care about is finding my son."_

_The others looked at each other silently. They were used to Emma's impatience, but this time, Hook took the initiative to try to talk some sense into her. "Lass, please. We talked about this. We decided we couldn't afford to get out there without a plan and without detailed maps of the land. It's been ages since I left Neverland, and I never even needed them my first time here, because I rarely left my ship. You know that we're here for the same reason, we are all committed to finding Henry and helping in any way we can. Please. You have to trust us."_

_Emma scoffed, "Trust you? Five minutes ago you were about to flee with the bean to save your ass, and then you, for some reason I don't yet understand, decided to come back. Don't you even dare to think that cuts you some slack or that I suddenly trust you, because I don't. I'm still waiting for you to betray us again, just so you can finally kill your crocodile."_

_Hook looked at her with that same anguished and pained expression on his face as when she left him in Anton's lair; even Gold had seemed completely surprised and somewhat embarrassed. Hook cast his gaze down and turned away from the group, going back to his quarters without another word, leaving four stunned people and one still very angry Emma._

_Neither of them had seen Hook again that afternoon. He had confined himself to his cabin and didn't emerge, not even for dinner. They had finished laying out the plan, however, and before they dismissed the meeting, her father approached. "Emma, I know we all want to find Henry as soon as possible, but I do think you were a little harsh to Hook. He is genuinely helping us, and he isn't getting anything from it either. And I'm not his biggest fan, but we can't afford to fight like this."_

_She knew that David was right, that she had crossed a line, and the worst thing was, she hadn't meant a word of it. She trusted Hook. She trusted him so completely that it scared her, just as it had during their journey up the beanstalk. No one had ever done what Hook had for her. He had turned back, he had come back, and not only been because of Neal's memory – they had some sort of past, and she thought that Hook remembered him at least somewhat fondly, because he had been truly shocked to learn that Neal was dead – but because of her too. She had been sincere in her offer for him to be a part of something, and even if he did run away at first, he had steered his ship back to her. Seeing the _Jolly Roger_ on the horizon had left her speechless. And then she saw him coming down the gangplank, offering her the bean and his help, without a flinch, to go in search of Henry. He had even laid down his revenge before Gold, he had given up the only thing he had dreamed of for more than three hundred years, and she didn't want to admit that it had meant so much to her. That he had accepted her offer and, essentially, become a part of her family. And what scared her the most was that she wanted him in her family in a more literal way. Simply wanted him._

_With _that_ realization, she gave up trying to sleep and got up, leaving the crew's quarters to head up to the deck. The night sky was breathtakingly gorgeous, and there seemed to be even more stars than usual. She was lost for a moment, contemplating their beauty, when she heard a familiar voice behind her._

"_So you couldn't sleep either, Swan." _

_She flinched at the cutting way in which he said her name; she could sense the hurt in his voice. "Are you afraid that I'll flee in the middle of the night with all the maps, after having stabbed the crocodile in the chest – again?"_

_Slowly, she turned to face him. Those sapphire-blue eyes of his were glinting with anger and hurt, and she could see disappointment too. She lowered her head, ashamed, and looked at her fingers wringing her black tank top, surprised at how unsure her voice sounded. "Hook, I'm… I'm sorry for what I said before. I was so out of line and totally unfair. You are risking your life to help us, to help my son who you barely even know, and I know how difficult it was for you to give up your revenge for m… for us. I… I do trust you. And I need to say thank you. You'll never know how much this means to me; I'm just so scared for Henry. What if we don't find him in time, what if…" _

_Her words died in her throat as she felt his hand caress her cheek. His thumb tenderly dried a tear which she hadn't even noticed had been shed._

"_I know, Emma. I understand your frustration and I realized afterwards that you hadn't actually meant to say those things. But they hurt, lass. Hurt me more deeply than any of the times you so graciously knocked me out in the past." He let a sarcastic chuckle at that, before closing the space between them until their noses were almost touching, his gaze softening and his voice barely a whisper, so caressing and soft that it made her shiver._

"_You know why I came back, and you know why I'm doing this. It's all for you, Emma. You achieved what I never thought was possible, you made me realize how much I had wasted my life in this pursuit for revenge, and how empty I felt. When Tamara bound me and took me back to Storybrooke in that little and highly uncomfortable box, and I saw that the crocodile had not only not died, but was happy with the woman he loved, even though she was not the same woman I shot at the town line… I realized that he had won. He had sentenced me to suffer; he left me alive that fateful day so long ago after he took my love and my hand from me so I could forge my own prison and sentence with my own choices. And then I met Bae. Providence brought him to me after his coward of a father left him too and I saw a light of hope, to protect the boy Milah had loved so dearly and had regretted so much for leaving. She wanted us to be a family. We were going to take him with us when we decided to go back to their little town, but he rejected me. He didn't believe I could change and I understand now that he was right. I wouldn't have been able to let go of my desire for vengeance. Not even loving him as my own son would have been enough, because every time I looked into his eyes and saw Milah, I would see _him_ too, and that festering wound wouldn't have closed. So he left me, and in my anger and arrogance, I sold him out to the Lost Ones in exchange for having peace with them here in Neverland." _

_His eyes were cast downwards now, shame and guilt evident. "When you offered all those things to me in that strange tavern back in Storybrooke, I was so eager to accept, to believe you. But I got scared, and then learning that Bae was dead hurt me, and I felt the guilt for what I did all those years ago, all over again. I thought I wasn't worthy of that offer and chose to run away, to look after myself once again so I wouldn't get hurt once more." He looked into her eyes again, and she realized what he meant by that, and how much her leaving him on top of the beanstalk had hurt him. She felt a pang of regret for it._

"_But then, as I was on my ship running away from you, I looked at that bean in my hand, and I realized I did want to risk it, to take that chance again, to be a part of something. With you, I was tired of being Captain Hook. I craved to be Killian Jones again, a man who was whole, with a heart that wasn't rotten with the despair of three hundred years of an unhealed wound. I needed to let that go, I needed to heal myself to finally be able to look forward, to walk the right path, for myself, and for you, because I chose you, Emma… I chose you."_

_He rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. Her breath caught in her throat at the burning sincerity of his words. She felt his warmth against her, and the soothing thump of his heart, her eyes filling with tears again._

"_Killian…" His given name tasted so sweet on her tongue. It felt _right_ to call him that, and she wondered, amazed, how just a name could make her feel so alive, so light and happy. Killian opened his eyes slowly, a smile across his lips that brought such light to his eyes, the same smile he had given her on the beanstalk before she chained him, and looked at her in awe._

"_You… you said my name. Say it again. It has been so long since I last heard it spoken to me, it almost sounds foreign."_

"_Killian…" She saw him smile again, felt his arms around her. And then he laughed, a carefree and joyous laugh, and her heart simply melted._

"_Thank you, Emma. I want to hear it from your lips every day from now on." _

_With that, he dipped his head and claimed her lips with his own, a tender but passionate kiss, and she felt a warm, bright current coursing through their bodies. It lasted only a few seconds, and he broke it gently, caressing her face with his hand and looking into her eyes again._

"_Emma, I would love to continue this in my cabin as more enjoyable activities," he said with a smirk, to which she punched him in the arm and rolled her eyes, "but as you remember, we leave bright and early tomorrow to start the search, and it wouldn't do if we were both exhausted. Especially since for some reason we decided it was a good idea that I should team up with your father. And even though he has little experience at fatherhood, he seems to understand the 'absurdly overprotective' bit quite well. I would rather that he didn't punch me in the face yet again."_

"_He wouldn't punch you if you could just keep your mouth shut."_

_Killian pressed his hand to his heart in mock offense. "Oi, but you wound me sore, Swan. Remember that I am a gentleman, and gentlemen do not kiss and tell. Especially not to their lasses' fathers."_

_Emma rolled her eyes again, but felt a little smile curve her lips. She continued to be amazed at how he could go from serious, tender and sweet, to playful and infuriating in less than a second. Still, he had a point. "Okay, you're right. We should go to sleep. But remind me again, why did Gold and Regina team up together? Wouldn't it have been better to distribute the magic users evenly?"_

"_Well, love, if you had paid more attention to the plan instead of yelling at this poor pirate – " he flashed a pout – "you would have heard that we decided that for this first scouting trip, it was better for those two to assess the kind of magic this land has. The crocodile knows quite a bit about it since he was apparently here before as well, but they still need to see if there are plants useful for some of the potions that can either protect us from the Lost Ones or be used to attack them. And then, of course, your father said there was no chance in hell he would let me team up with you… huh, so _that_ was why I ended up with him for this little adventure. I almost forgot. Your lips distracted me for a minute." He closed the space between them again, with a seductive smirk and a very different fire in his eyes._

"_Whoa, easy there Don Juan. We already established that the 'enjoyable activities' are out of the question for tonight. The sky is changing colors again. That means it soon be dawn and we need our rest, remember?"_

_Killian sighed heavily. "You're right, love. But I promise, there will be plenty of time later…" He got close to her again and brushed his mouth up to her ear, his stubble tickling her cheek and his breath hot against her earlobe, "for all the downright sinful things I want to do to you. Because I'm afraid to tell you that you've caught yourself a pirate, and he's not going anywhere. After all, I am a very patient man."_

_He stepped back, leaving her with trembling legs and flushed cheeks, and took her hand, guiding her back below deck to the hallway that led to the crew's quarters. At the door of his cabin, he gave her a quick and chaste kiss. "Good night, Emma. Sleep well, we will need our strength."_

_Emma looked into his soft gaze and smiled. "Thanks, I will. I'm not so scared anymore, thanks to you."_

_She headed down the narrow hall, unaware of the beaming smile still plastered on Killian's face, and opened the door quietly, trying not to wake the others. She crawled into her bunk, and fell asleep immediately._

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Emma heard her mother's voice again, and turned around distractedly, blinking in confusion. "I'm sorry, Mom, I didn't hear you. Did you ask me something?"

"In fact, I asked you about five different things before you started almost running. Emma, honey, I know you're upset and you feel a little guilty for what you said to Hook, but you could always apologize to him, you know."

At that, Emma let a laugh escape her lips; who knew her mother would be so concerned about the pirate? "No, it's not that. I apologized to Killian yesterday, actually, and I didn't know you cared about his feelings that much." She saw her mother raise an eyebrow questioningly, both at calling Captain Hook 'Killian' and admitting she had apologized to him.

"Well, he may have done some… not-so-good things in the past, but he did come back with the bean when he was our only hope, and has certainly helped us. And when exactly did you started calling him Killian?" her mother asked curiously.

"It's a long story," Emma answered dismissively, somewhat irritated. She didn't have the energy to discuss her relationship with Killian – she startled herself at that realization – with her mother. Besides, she was still annoyed and anxious about something that she couldn't quite pinpoint.

"Well, that's okay, whenever you are ready to tell me about it… but if you're not upset about Hook, why are you so nervous again all of a sudden? When we left the ship you were in a better mood, but then you started sulking around mid-morning."

Emma let a long sigh escape her. "I don't know. I had a very good night's sleep, for the first time since we got here, and I didn't even dream about Henry, but somehow I'm growing more anxious the deeper we venture into this forest. Almost as if something dark is waiting for us. I'm sorry. I'm talking nonsense."

Snow looked at her daughter with concern. "Not at all, sweetie. It's only natural you feel anxious, but we _are_ going to find Henry. You know that, right?"

"Yes, I know, but still… I'm so worried now that we're on land because of this unbearable heat, and the poisonous and terrifying plants, and just all of this horrible place. He is out here too, we don't know if he is alone and even if he is not, his present company is not exactly safe nor worried about his safety. What if he is thirsty, or hungry, or scared, and has lost hope that we will find him, or…"

She felt tears starting to fall down her cheeks and wiped them angrily, while her mother continued to rub soothing circles on her back. "Emma, look at me. _We are going to find him. _It's our family's motto for a reason, you know? You can't lose hope, because that won't help Henry."

"Yes, I know. That's why I find this all the more infuriating, I'm not one to give up without one hell of a fight, I almost feel like I'm not myself right now. It must be this damn heat messing with my emotions or something." She could feel heavy sweat trickling down her back and through her hair, and felt extremely flustered. Her mother, however, wasn't sweating that much, and she found that odd.

Snow looked briefly alarmed, but took out their canteen. "Yes, we have been walking for a while now. I think we should take a rest and drink some water. You may have a little heatstroke."

Emma accepted the canteen and took a large gulp. It quenched her thirst, but not enough. She wanted to finish it, but she knew they couldn't go through their water rations so fast, so she retrieved the map Killian had given her from her back pocket and stood up. "We need to find one of these streams that are safe to drink from so we can refill the canteen." She started walking fast again, not paying attention to her mother's suddenly frantic voice.

She halted when she saw a stream right in front of her, and looked at Killian's map again. It pointed to a stream nearby, but she wasn't sure if this was the one. Yet the water was so clear and glistening in the sun, and looked so beautiful, that she simply felt driven to it. She broke into a sprint and knelt beside it, throwing the map carelessly to the floor, and sprinkled a little onto her face, before taking big gulps of it with her hands.

Suddenly, a bright yellow flower came down the stream and sat in front of her. She reached out to it to touch it. She just had to, it was gorgeous and inviting…

She didn't hear her mother's voice desperately crying out her name as she fell into oblivion.

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The trek with Emma's father had been dull to the point of boredom, but then again he didn't quite know what to talk about with the father of the woman he loved. He didn't even flinch when the realization dawned on him. He loved Emma, there was no way around it, and he welcomed it with open arms. He hadn't felt this alive in over three centuries.

To his surprise, after several hours of silence, the prince was the one to break the silence. "So, Hook. Are you going to be honest with me now?"

Killian looked back at him, confusion evident in his eyes. "What are you talking about, Your Highness?"

David sighed. "Look, mate –" this time, there was no sarcasm or malice behind the title – "I admit I wasn't your biggest fan back home. You did knock me out with a crowbar, after all."

"Well, I did ask for your apologies, mate. Of course you were already unconscious and I gather you didn't get the chance to hear it." Killian flashed a smirk.

David shook his head in – almost – mock annoyance. "What I mean is… you came back and offered your help and your ship without hesitation, and even gave up your revenge. When I first asked what your motivation was while we were looking for the beans, you said you were only doing it for yourself. But I know it wasn't only that, not even back then. So why did you come back?"

"I think you already have a good idea of why I did, don't you? You shouldn't ask questions whose answer you're not going to like."

"Yes, I do have an idea, but I would appreciate some confirmation. And you're wrong, it's not that I won't like the answer. I actually don't know what to make of it, to be honest."

Killian stopped walking and turned back, looking David directly in the eye. "I came back because of your daughter. I decided to accept her offer to become a part of something. To live and fight for, and alongside, something other than myself."

David measured him carefully, and saw something in his eyes he had seen before. To be honest, it scared him. But before he could dwell on it, Hook gave a pained cry and doubled over, hitting the ground and clutching his chest with his hand.

David knelt by his side, concerned and confused. "Hook? What's wrong?"

Killian looked up into David's eyes, pain and worry clear in his face, and breathed, "Emma. Something happened to her."

Killian doubled over again, and David felt two very different kinds of panic inside him. His daughter was in danger… and Captain Hook was her True Love.

_**Please do let me know what you thought of this first chapter =)**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

_**So, here's the second chapter! Once more, thank you forever to my incredible and amazingly talented beta and editor Hilary (SilverRavenStar), who suggested some incredible lines and helped me with conveying Emma's and Killian's feelings perfectly. You're bloody brilliant and amazing, and I love you to the moon and back! :***_

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_I would be a mermaid fair._

_I would sing to myself the whole day;_

_With a comb of pearl I would comb my hair;_

_And still as I comb'd I would sing and say,_

"_Who is it loves me? who loves not me?"_

_The Mermaid – Alfred Lord Tennyson_

Emma felt as if she was gliding through something warm and inviting. The urge to let go altogether was very strong, but flashes of Henry swam in front of her eyes and she suddenly opened them, frantic, taking in her surroundings. She was completely submerged, that much was obvious. But she didn't feel as if she was holding her breath – or fighting for it, for that matter. "What the hell!"

She said those words aloud, she was sure of it. But instead of the sensation of drowning that should have come when she opened her mouth, she felt exactly the same as she did on land. And how was that even _possible?_

Emma looked down her body, and let out another surprised cry. Where her legs had been, there was now a fish tail instead, scaled in pearlescent blue-green, and her breasts were covered, barely, in the same stuff. Shocked, she tried to peel it off, but it hurt as if she was pulling on her own skin. _Okay. This is only a dream. Or maybe I passed out from the heat. I just need to wake up._

Her reverie was broken by the sudden sound of soft and lovely music from somewhere far below, inviting and familiar. She felt herself start to undulate toward it, tail stroking powerfully through the water, and was amazed at the sensation of swimming so easily. She had never felt this free in all her life, she –

She came to a screeching halt and tried to turn around, to struggle up to the surface. _No! You can't give in. You need to wake up, you need to get back to your parents, to Henry, to Killian…_

At the thought of the pirate and their kiss the day before, she felt a sharp pain in her heart, as if an ice blade had been shoved into it, and cried out. She tried desperately to keep swimming above, but the song continued below. Her whole body turned and dove toward it, against her will.

Emma's brain kept telling her to fight, but the pull was so strong. She could feel the memories of her parents, of Henry, slipping away, and hot tears burned against her cold skin. _No, this is not you! Snap out of it, dammit!_ But the farther she plunged into the unfathomable depths of the ocean, the more confused and dizzy she became. It was almost as if a whole new life was trying to replace her old one.

After what felt like hours (or was it? She could no longer tell) a huge cave came into view, and she couldn't help the urge to swim faster to reach it, one part of her brain screaming at her to turn back. But the other part, along with the complete joy she felt at the sight of it, whispered that she was a mermaid, that she belonged here, and there was no room for thoughts of the surface now.

Instead, she merely drank in the sight. The cave was huge and dazzling. Glinting stones of every imaginable size and color flashed with nearly blinding light from walls and ceiling, and the floor was heaped with treasure, chests overflowing with jewels and gold and riches. Her heart seized with joy once more, and, moved by a sudden impulse, she found a mirror and gazed at her reflection.

Her hair almost glowed with light. It was flowing out behind her as if stirred by a current, and her cheeks and lips were a beautiful red. She started in surprise, but that was ridiculous; this was who she had always been. Yet as the buzzing in her brain became almost unbearable, she dropped the mirror. It was as if two strong forces were pulling her in opposite directions, her vision clouding with black.

Emma shook her head, forcing it to retreat. Just then, in one of the nearby treasure chests, two sparkling, perfect sapphires caught her eye. Curious, she swam to them and picked them up. And when she looked closely, she saw a flash of blue eyes, deep as the sea, smiling back at her with an expression of complete love.

A pang of pain tore at her again. _Killian! _But the dizzying spinning made her welcome the darkness once more, still clutching the sapphires. As consciousness slipped away, a new thought settled in its place, bringing pure peace.

"_Don't you worry, mermaid fair. Rid your heart and your head of all the sorrow and pain. You're home now. You're home."_

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Killian had never thought that anything could be more agonizing than watching Milah die in front of his eyes, all those years ago. He had cursed the crocodile and the stars and every god known to man for taking away his love, and he had felt such a void inside his heart that he thought he would never recover. But now, as the terrible dread filled him, the complete certainty that Emma was in great danger, he knew that he hadn't felt true pain before, and he refused to believe he had lost her too. In fact, he was certain that she wasn't dead, but he had the terrifying feeling that nonetheless, she was slipping away from him. Fast.

He shot to his feet so suddenly that he almost knocked David over. Not wasting time apologizing, he extracted the map he had had the good sense to carry, and started navigating in the direction where Snow and Emma were supposed to be.

"Hook, wait! Where are you going?" David said frantically.

"We need to catch up with Emma. I have to know if she is all right. The women must be almost at the end of the path they were taking today, and I know a shortcut," Killian answered, resolve steely in his voice.

David fell into step with him. He was still frankly terrified by the notion that Captain Hook was Emma's True Love, but it couldn't be helped. He also understood the terror of knowing that your other half was in mortal danger, and felt a new sense of respect for the other man, the pirate that he had thought only cared for himself. "We _are_ going to find her, Killian. And we're going to save her."

Killian was startled at the sound of that coming from _Prince Charming, _of all bloody people. He stopped abruptly and wheeled back, gaze questioning. "Not that I resent it, but why are you calling me by my name all of a sudden, mate?"

"I thought it was the right thing to do. After learning that you're my daughter's True Love and all."

At the sudden panic in Killian's eyes, David couldn't help a small chuckle. "Yes, I had the same feeling for a minute there. But when you have gone through it yourself, it's impossible not to relate."

"What? Do you mean the same thing happened to you with Snow?"

"Yes, just after Regina gave her the cursed apple. I felt as if my heart was being crushed inside my chest, and immediately knew that she was in danger."

A very different panic flickered in Killian's eyes. "You… you think she's cursed?"

David gripped his shoulder tighter. "Don't lose hope! If you really are her True Love, you are the only one who can save her, and she will find her way back to you. The family motto is there for a reason, you know? Now come on. Let's stop talking and go find them."

The pirate's expression flashed with fierce determination. "You're right. I'm not letting her go. I will always find her. Always."

David smiled, and they kept walking, or rather almost running. They finally reached a clearing with a chattering stream, but the sight that awaited them almost made Killian buckle in pain again. Snow was kneeling next to it, sobbing and calling out for Emma, her voice turning hoarse, clawing at the water furiously.

David sprinted to his wife's side and flung himself down next to her. "Snow! Please calm down and tell us what happened. Where's Emma?"

The words tumbling from Snow's lips were the last ones he wanted to hear. "She… she's gone! The water swallowed her, I couldn't do anything, one minute she was drinking from the stream and the next she was. . . _gone_."

Killian fell to his knees beside them. He was staring at the water, cursing himself for not having anticipated this, when he heard David ask, "Killian, what's _that?"_

A bright golden flower was floating innocently down the current toward them, and Killian grimaced in something close to flat-out terror. "_Maighdeana glaoigh bláth_… But it's impossible. I thought it was only a legend."

Before David could ask what on earth he was talking about, they heard Gold's voice behind them. "Oh no, dearie. It is very real."

Killian turned, glaring at the crocodile. Regina was standing to his left, watching Snow crying and being embraced by her husband. To Killian's surprise, the evil queen had a pained look in her eyes, one he had never seen on her face.

"Do you care to fill us in on what the hell is going on? And what happened to Emma?" David said exasperatedly, and Killian couldn't help but be amazed at how much Emma took after her father. He was about to launch into the whole sorry story, but the crocodile cut him off. He took it none too kindly, but now was not the time to fight. He was more concerned about Emma than starting a snarking contest with his former (?) foe.

"The _maighdeana glaoigh bláth_, or 'flower of the mermaids' call,' is an ancient curse the mermaids used to attract human women, and turn them into mermaids themselves," Gold explained, as infuriatingly calmly as if remarking on the weather.

"What?!" David and Snow stared in unison, bewildered.

"_But that was just a legend!"_ Killian snapped. "I can assure you that in the three hundred years I lived here, I never heard of any woman turning into a mermaid! The tale was that these flowers had perished long ago, and that the mermaids, albeit vicious and dangerous, were almost extinct. I _do_ recall hearing, however, that you were the cause of most of them disappearing," he added venomously, his blue gaze locking with the crocodile's.

"Well, _Captain._" Gold's voice dripped with matching disdain. "You certainly are lacking in knowledge of some of Neverland's most ancient magic. But truly, what can a simple pirate understand about such things?"

Killian almost lunged at him there and then, but was brought up short by David. "Hey! Let him explain! We need his knowledge if we want to save Emma!"

Killian nodded stiffly, and David let go of his arm, turning to Gold instead. "All right. We're listening. Explain what happened to Emma, and also, how did you know where to find us? Did you also have a map with all the marked paths?"

To their communal surprise, however, it was Regina who answered. "We felt a very strong surge of magic, a kind that even I couldn't understand. But Gold said he knew it, and feared that one of you had fallen prey to an old and dangerous curse."

Killian clenched his fist, his anxiety visible, and Regina turned to him curiously. "And how did _you _two gentlemen know something was wrong? Neither one of you have magic… or do you?" The queen's gaze was fixed on him as if she already knew the answer, a slight smirk threatening to show on her face.

Killian was about to respond, but David spoke first. "He felt Emma in danger. Fell to his knees clutching his heart in pain. Something I know a little too well."

At the revelation, Snow turned to stare at her husband. "Wait, are you saying…?"

"Yes, apparently Emma is my True Love, and I am hers," Killian answered, eying the crocodile warily. Absolutely bugger-all need to give him ideas.

"Well, well, well… whoever would have guessed? But even I have only ever heard of such a strong connection once before." Gold gazed nonchalantly at David and Snow, who wore identical open-mouthed gapes of shock.

Killian, however, had quite thoroughly lost his patience. "Can we discuss this later? We're losing time! Tell us about this curse already, crocodile, or I swear I'll change my decision not to kill you. At the very least, I'll slam my hook into your face. Improve your bloody looks!"

Instead of being fazed, the crocodile merely _giggled_, just as he had when he found Killian on that fateful day of Milah's death. "Ah, ah, ah. No threats from you, _pirate_, or I'll break my promise of letting you live too."

"Gold, I swear. If you don't tell us what happened to Emma right now, I'll help him kill you myself," David snarled, almost matching his counterpart's glare.

Gold raised his hands in mock surrender, but couldn't help one last quip at the sight of David and Killian teaming up against him. "Ah, yes. _The Pirate and the Knight_. Seems your choice of decoration wasn't that off the mark, eh, Your Majesties?"

But, prompted by the pirate raising his hook, he decided that now was not the time to discuss this new development (one he had most certainly _not_ seen coming). With a heavy sigh, he started the tale. "When I was last in Neverland to procure the squid ink you and your daughter found in my cell back in the Enchanted Forest – " he nodded to Snow – "I made acquaintance with the last of the mermaids here who hadn't turned into a murderer yet. Her name was Ariel, and she only wanted the pretty part of mermaid life. The singing, the hair combing, the treasure hoarding, what have you. But her sisters kept insisting she must drown someone from the surface to become a 'true mermaid.' So she made a deal with me. I would get rid of her sisters for her and she would procure the squid ink for me, as it was hidden in the bottom of the darkest ocean here.

"But before I killed the three remaining mermaids, Ariel's sisters, I studied their magic and came across the _maighdeana glaoigh bláth_, a remarkable little flower that held a vicious curse inside its petals. Any mortal woman who touched it would transform into a mermaid, forgetting all pain, sorrow, or memories of her past life. Her heart would eventually grow cold as ice, robbing her of her humanity. It was said that nothing could break this curse, but I, of course, knew differently. True Love could, and that is why I stole one of the flowers and altered it a bit for the Dark Curse. It is what made all of you forget who you were and gave you new identities in Storybrooke, and that is also why I added one drop of the squid ink, in addition to the drop of True Love potion, into the parchment – "

Before he could continue, Snow interrupted. "So _that's_ why you wrote Emma's name on that piece of parchment with the special ink! You wanted to make sure you would remember who you were the moment you heard it in Storybrooke!"

She was surprised and a little more than uncomfortable at understanding how much he had controlled all of their lives, and she was not the only one. "You filthy crocodile! You manipulated Emma as if she was a pawn in your sick game!" Killian lunged at him again, but this time it was Snow who stopped him.

"Hook… Killian. Please. We need to save Emma, let him finish." Snow laid her hand reassuringly on Killian's arm, and he grudgingly gave in. She was right. He had to focus on Emma. _Had to. _Anything besides disemboweling Gold slowly and forcing him to eat his spleen for supper.

Gold, for his part, continued as if nothing had happened. "Actually, at the moment, we can't do anything for Emma. True Love's kiss would work, of course, but it's not that easy. Apart from the fact that I doubt our _dear_ captain can survive the journey to the mermaids' cave without drowning, there is still the tiny detail that Emma won't remember who she is. And you can attest to the inherent difficulty of making True Love's kiss work with someone who has lost sight of herself. Can't you, Your Majesty?" The question was directed at David.

"What is he talking about?" Killian demanded. _Stinking reptile!_

"I took a potion once," Snow told him. "A potion Gold gave me, when I had to leave Charming to save him from King George. That potion made me forget who I was, everything I was, and only left a desire for revenge against Regina. I almost killed her then, and Charming tried to save me with True Love's Kiss, but it didn't work. I couldn't love him back, because I didn't even remember him. He put himself in the path of my arrow before I could kill Regina, and at his selfless sacrifice, I remembered him. Only then did the kiss work."

"Well, I don't care what I have to do to convince Emma that I love her or to make her remember who she is. I'm not going to lose her too."

"That's very touching, but there's still the problem that you can't survive underwater long enough to find her," Regina pointed out coolly. "How do you propose to get around that?"

Gold grinned. "It seems we'll have to enlist the help of an old friend of mine."

"The mermaid you were telling us about? Ariel?"

"Indeed, Captain. But I'm afraid we'll have to convince her to help us. She may not be as ruthless as her late sisters, but she is still not very fond of humans."

Killian and David exchanged a last worried glance. Then Killian, choking on the words, growled, "Lead the way, crocodile. Where exactly does this Ariel lass live?"

"In Mermaid's Lagoon, of course."

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Under the sea, Emma woke up still clutching the two sapphires, which she had a strong desire to not let out of her sight. She searched the cave for something in which to store them, and finally, in one of the treasure chests, found a seaweed pouch with a string. _Perfect!_ She placed the jewels inside and hung it around her neck.

That done, she glanced around. _This cave is becoming a little dull. I think I need a different kind of treasure, preferably male, with black hair and blue eyes. _She wondered briefly why she had such a specific image of her intended victim in mind, but shrugged it off. Mermaids were not ones to worry about such conundrums. They lived their lives in beauty and vanity and ease, and nothing else mattered.

She left her cave and started swimming through the ocean, enjoying her freedom and the caress of the warm water against her scales. She felt like she hadn't done this in forever, but that was a silly idea. What else would she have done, if not this? Yet why then did she have a nagging feeling that she was forgetting something she shouldn't? As if something on the surface was calling for her.

_That's ridiculous! I don't have any business whatsoever up there! Maybe looking for that other treasure missing from my cave… but that only means I would steal him and drag him down here! I just need to keep swimming, and the waves will take the sorrows away. . . but I shouldn't have them at all._

Damn. It was like she was arguing with three different versions of herself, and she shook her head at all the silly thoughts in her head today. _I'll head to the surface. See if I find my treasure there._

She swam steadily upwards, and broke the rippling, silent water at last, looking at the Neverland sky in amazement. She loved the stars, and tonight they were especially bright and beautiful. The sky was tinted purple and pink, which meant that high night was only a few hours away, and she wanted to look at the deep blue lights that came with it. It reminded her of her prized sapphires.

She spotted a suitable stargazing rock and hopped on it, sighing in contentment as she watched the bright stars, the changing colors. The sea sounded different on the surface, unlike all the other sounds when she was immersed in it, and the waves lapping against the rock soon lulled her to sleep.

At last, she opened her eyes to the sound of something different: gentle rocking, creaking wood, snapping canvas. It grew steadily more insistent, and she finally tore her gaze from the sky to look to her left, where she saw a boat – no, a ship. Two masts. A lantern on the stern cast it in a faint golden glow, eerily beautiful.

And then her eyes fell on a tall dark figure standing on the starboard side, his back to her, gazing at the night sky longingly. He was beautiful, his hair dark and silky, his long leather jacket billowing in the wind and giving him an almost regal look, with more than a hint of danger. Something metal glinted at the end of his left arm: a sharp silver hook. It made her imagine him pulling her close with it, its cold and smooth touch breaking shivers in her skin.

Now that was perfect for her collection. A dark, dashing pirate captain, _and_ there was something shiny on him too. Mermaids loved shiny things.

"Mmmmm, yes, my dear Captain. I do believe I have found my treasure," she whispered, a glint in her eye and a seductive smile curving her lips.

_**A/N: "Maighdeana glaoigh bláth" is a name I came up with by looking for the words for "mermaids call flower" in Irish, as I thought it would be fitting. Please review? =D**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_In his little boat, the boatman_

_Is seized with a savage woe,_

_He'd rather look up at the mountain_

_Than down at the rocks below._

Lorelei_– Heinrich Heine_

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_**A/N: Sorry for the delay with this chapter, it has been the most difficult for me to write for some reason. As usual, endless thanks to my amazing beta and editor Hilary, bby you are so talented and good to me I really can't thank you enough, this story comes to life after you work your magic on it. I love you!**_

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Killian stood near the stern of the _Jolly Roger_, gazing at the luminous night sky of Neverland. He thought he could see Emma's eyes in the shimmering curtain of lights, and sighed heavily. He did not fear what must come; he would do anything to save her. But he couldn't help the dread that had been strangling him for hours now, and found himself replaying the events of the afternoon in his mind…

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_The trek to Mermaid's Lagoon had been bloody exhausting. The pain in his chest was steadily increasing, but he kept silent, not wanting to worry Snow and Charming further. However, when they were halfway there, he suddenly fell to his knees again, gasping for breath. He felt as if an icy hand was crushing his heart, a furious coldness engulfing him._

_Snow darted to his side. "Killian? What's wrong? Is Emma in danger? Is she…?"_

"_It's nothing, Your Majesty. Emma is alive, and I _will_ find her."_

_The prince caught up. "But you're in pain again, and that means she is too. Tell us. We need any clue as to what Emma is going through."_

_Killian hesitated. What would they do if he told them? That he thought her heart was turning to ice?_

"_I… I feel a terrible cold," he admitted, hanging his head in shame. It seemed as if this was somehow his fault. He heard Snow's gasp, and then her quiet sobs._

"_This connection between you two is still new, and you're not used to it yet. Maybe it's just residual pain from when she first fell into the curse," Regina suggested, trying to calm her estranged step-daughter, once more to Killian's surprise. But then he glanced at the crocodile, who was giving her a look that pointed out very clearly that this was no such thing._

_Killian felt his blood freeze again, yet managed to get up, not without great difficulty. "No matter. We need to keep going. Hopefully Ariel will give us the information we seek." He flashed a reassuring smile at Snow and Charming. Clearly the latter was not convinced, but he didn't say anything, comforting his wife as they kept moving._

_They reached Mermaid's Lagoon an hour later, well into the afternoon, and the crocodile approached the water and cast some sort of spell that made it ripple. A few moments later, a young and beautiful redheaded girl broke the surface, her breasts covered in deep purple scales but the rest of her body bare. Killian couldn't help but envision how Emma would look in such a state of undress, his treacherous body reacting instantly to the pictures painted by his all-too-helpful imagination, and cursed himself for thinking about that when his only focus should be on saving her. He forced his brain back to the moment._

"_Well, if it isn't the Dark One in the flesh. Slightly less frightening flesh than usual, but that's a low standard. How very _not_ nice to see you." Ariel flashed a sarcastic smile._

"_Now, now, dearie. You weren't nearly so pert with me when I freed you from your sisters. I deserve at least a bit of gratitude."_

"_Oh, believe me, I'm more than grateful. That doesn't mean I have to like you, does it?" Nonetheless, she swam to a large rock and boosted herself up on it, the tip of her purple tail playing with the water. "So, what brings you to Neverland again, Dark One? Seeking more of our treasures for your backstabbing little purposes?"_

"_Have you seen another mermaid lately? Blonde hair and green eyes?" Killian interjected, before the crocodile could retort._

_The redheaded lass turned to him, and a seductive smile replaced the sarcastic one. She let her gaze travel lingeringly across his body, finally coming to rest at the end of his left arm. "You must be the infamous pirate, Captain Hook. Yes, I've heard so much about you. But the stories always left out the handsomeness."_

_The crocodile looked as if he was about to be sick. "Yes, he is _such _a dashing rogue, but can you stop staring at him and answer our question, please?"_

_Ariel appeared none too pleased by this order. "I haven't seen any mermaid since _you_ were last here. I never returned to that cave after you killed my sisters, have lived happily in this lagoon, not a care in the world. You should know that it isn't possible for there to be more mermaids, aside from me, here in Neverland."_

_Killian moved closer, crouched down at the water's edge, and opened his palm, revealing the golden flower. "Emma touched this. You know what it means. She is a princess from the Enchanted Forest, but has lived in a world without magic all her life. I… I felt it when she fell under the curse, and we need your help to save her."_

_Ariel's eyes went wide. "She is your True Love? And she has fallen under the _Maighdeana_ curse? But I thought there was only one True Love couple to have such a connection, and you are certainly not Prince Charming."_

"_But I am." The prince spoke for the first time. "And this is Snow White. Emma is our daughter."_

_Ariel's mouth dropped in shock, and she made a hesitant bow. "Your Majesties, it is an honor to finally meet you. The tale of your love is legendary indeed, as well as the prophecy of the Savior, your daughter. I am so sorry that this has become of her. But I imagine she did break the Evil Queen's curse?"_

"_Yes, she did," Regina answered, with more than a little resentment._

_Ariel turned to the other woman. "And you _are_ the Evil Queen. This is… surreal. How is it that the Evil Queen and Rumplestiltskin are working alongside Snow White and Prince Charming now? And by Triton's trident, _how_ is it possible that Captain Hook is the Savior's True Love?" Confusion and awe were clear in her face as she added to Killian, "I thought you hated the Dark One. You were looking for a way to kill him when you were last here."_

"_Bit of a long story, lass. In brief, two people from the world without magic took Emma's son, who is also the Evil Queen's adopted son and the crocodile's grandson, and brought him to Neverland. I offered my ship and my help to rescue the lad, but today, the first day of our search, Emma came near this wretched flower. She touched it, and the curse claimed her." Killian's voice faltered, and he cast his gaze down again, determined not to let the crocodile see him so vulnerable._

"_That's terrible. But I'm afraid there's little that can be done for this sort of a curse."_

"_True Love's kiss can break it," Killian insisted. "I only need you to tell me what to do to find her."_

_Ariel looked at him with sympathy and admiration. "Indeed, Captain, that should work. But there are many complications. This curse will turn her heart to ice, and she will forget everything about her previous life, including you. Not to mention the impossibility of any human surviving underwater long enough to reach the mermaid's cave at the bottom of the ocean."_

"_You must have something. A plant, a potion, anything!" Killian was getting desperate._

"_Actually, I do." There was mirth in her eyes, directed at the Dark One._

"_I doubt you acquired it by honest means, dearie?" Gold asked accusingly._

"_Well, we mermaids do like to steal, you know? And I needed some kind of leverage, in case you decided to back off our deal." She smiled sweetly. "I am so glad you didn't need that extra vial to get back."_

"_You underestimate me. I knew you stole it, and I was counting on you still having it."_

_Killian growled aloud. "You bloody pestilential reptile! Why didn't you tell us from the start that it was _your_ potion she'd give us?"_

"_Why, Captain, are you not going to use it, now that you know I made it? I used that potion on myself. I can assure you it is safe, and most definitely will work."_

"_All right, you two. Spare me." Ariel rolled her eyes. "I do have it, and will gladly give it to you. However, there's something else." The mermaid bit her lip, looking at Snow and Charming. "I don't know if I should say."_

"_Well? What is it? Please tell us," Snow pleaded._

"_Since this curse was designed to turn a woman into a true mermaid, she will develop the killer instinct my late sisters had. Meaning, she will search for a man from the surface, drag him down to her cave, and drown him. If she succeeds… not even True Love's Kiss can bring her back to who she was."_

_At that, Killian felt another sharp pain, not connected to Emma but at the terror of losing her to such a fate. But he regained his composure quickly and declared, "Then I'll make sure I'm the man she takes. And I don't plan to die, because you'll give me that potion. I _will not_ let her go, ever."_

_Ariel smiled at him. "You are very brave, Captain. I admire that, and the devotion you have for your Emma. I'll go get that potion for you."_

_She disappeared below the water, then soon emerged again, holding out a vial containing a sparkling blue liquid. "The effects will only last a few hours. Twelve at the most. I don't need to stress the importance of breaking the curse within that time, and you will need to save some of it for Emma to get back to the surface. I'll give you directions to Mermaid's Cave, as it is highly likely that she will search for her victim near the place she feels the safest."_

_Killian took the vial from Ariel, and she explained where he needed to steer the _Jolly Roger_. "One more thing. When you get to the right spot, you need to be on the deck, facing the water. Make sure you are alone, so Emma will focus on you and take you with her. Her song will be very powerful and lure you in immediately, but you should be strong enough to drink the potion before she pulls you down."_

"_Thank you, lass."_

"_No need to thank me, Captain. Go save your love. She's very lucky to have you."_

"_One more thing," Regina interrupted. "Have you by any chance seen a man and a dark-skinned woman around here somewhere? With a ten-year-old boy? He has brown eyes and hair, a sweet face and a kind smile."_

_Ariel blinked. "You mean Emma's son?"_

"_He is my son too!"_

_Ariel looked confused, and Snow quickly intervened. "Regina is Henry's adoptive mother. Have you seen him?"_

"_No, I haven't seen any of them. If they are here, they must be in another part of Neverland, for they have never been near Mermaid's Lagoon. I'm sorry."_

"_Don't worry, Ariel, you've helped us enough. We will concentrate on saving Emma at the moment," David reassured her._

_Ariel gave him a thankful smile, but her tone was businesslike. "You had best get going. It will be night soon, and mermaids prefer to look for their victims after dark. You still need to get to the spot where the cave lies."_

"_She is right." Killian had already turned back toward his ship. "We need to hurry."_

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He looked back into the sea, and his heart almost stopped. For just there, atop a rock, he saw Emma, golden hair flying in the wind, legs replaced by a blue-green tail, and he couldn't suppress a sharp intake of breath. Nothing could have prepared him for such a sight. He had never thought she could look more beautiful than she already was, but she did, and although he wanted _his_ Emma back, he reacted to her as a taunting mermaid instantly.

She gazed back at him, and a wide smile graced her dark red lips. She slid seductively into the water, and glided toward the _Jolly Roger,_ floating just a few feet away. Then she started to sing, the most beautiful sound he had ever heard, and he could only stare at her, as enchanted and endangered as any other poor fool who'd stumbled unknowing into mermaid waters. He snapped out of his trance long enough to drink half the potion, before stoppering the vial again and placing it in the pouch at his belt. Then he muttered a half-forgotten prayer, jumped overboard, and splashed into the waves, where Emma took him by the hand and began their descent into darkness, quickly disappearing from sight.

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The dark pirate captain had turned to her at last, and she was pleased to see that she affected him immediately. Yet she too was entranced by him; he was even more beautiful than she had imagined. She closed her eyes, enjoying the familiar yet strange tune coming from her lips, and when she opened them again, he was plunging into the water beside her. She took hold of him, possessed him, and dragged him down and down and down.

They reached the cave, and she yanked him forcefully to the wall, tying him into place. Then she got quite a start. His eyes were closed, but she could see the rise and fall of his chest. He was _breathing!_ How was it possible? She gave him a sharp slap, and he opened them, murmuring her name.

"Emma…"

"No! You're not supposed to be alive! You should have drowned already! Are you some kind of sorcerer?" Emma backstroked violently, putting some space between them. "Talk, pirate! How did you survive? _Who are you?"_

He glanced at his bonds, and a playful smile quirked his lips. "You're still into this, aren't you?"

She felt a warmth in her chest, and flinched. It hurt, and she didn't like it. "I don't know what you're talking about. You are not a merman, you're a human. Just. How. Did. You. Survive?" She punctuated each word with a blow.

The pirate struggled to get away from them, uselessly. "Emma, please. Look at me. You don't belong here. Your parents are waiting for you. Your son, Henry… he is lost somewhere in Neverland. You need to remember them. Remember _me_."

"And who exactly are you?"

"My name is Killian Jones, though I'm also known by my more colorful moniker, Captain Hook. I'm helping you and your family find your son, and I… I love you."

Emma, startled, fluked back again. She could see the sincerity in his eyes and knew he wasn't lying, but couldn't understand where that conviction came from. Yet then her heart gave another painful pang, and she clutched at it. At the exact same moment, the pirate – Killian – uttered a sharp cry.

"Did you… did you feel that too?" She stared at him. "But how?"

"You're my True Love, Emma. I can feel your pain. It happened because you're remembering. I know it's hard, but you can't fight it. It's the only way this will work."

Emma regained her composure and drew closer. "It's the only way for _what_ to work?"

Her voice was low and seductive. If in fact she had ever known him, she didn't remember him, but she felt drawn to him nonetheless. His eyes were the same color as her precious sapphires; her hand clutched the pouch at her neck instinctively. His voice was low too, caressing.

"True Love's Kiss."

With that, he closed the distance between them and kissed her, tender at first and then harder and much more passionately. An image of him bandaging her hand flashed into her mind and a sharp pain, stronger than before, crackled through her like a lightning strike, making her jerk away. He _must_ be a sorcerer, trying to kill her. Why else would she feel this agony every time she got close to him?

"No! You're trying to lure me in with your kisses and your lies. I can't be your true love! I don't even know who you are!" She snatched up the golden mirror from the chest, and smashed it into the side of his head.

His eyes jerked shut again, this time due to the fact that he was unconscious, but the pain didn't ebb away. It only grew stronger, and his voice reverberated in her skull, flashes of him appearing in a dizzying swirl of colors and sounds. She covered her ears, trying to drown them out, but couldn't. They overwhelmed her, and she sank into them against her will.

_They were climbing a strange kind of plant, and he was teasing her._

"_You know, most men would take your silence as off-putting, but I love a challenge."_

"_Love has been all too rare in your life, hasn't it? Tell me, have you ever even been in love?"_

_Next they were in a dark castle, signs of battle and struggle and death all around. He was bandaging her hand with his mouth, and gave her a bright smile._

"_Point taken… Oh, you're a tough lass, you'd make one hell of a pirate."_

_Now they were inside the castle, she was helping him out from under the rubble and he was laughing._

"_You're bloody brilliant, amazing…"_

_Then she was walking back from him, leaving him chained to the wall._

"_Swan… Swan!"_

_Now they were fighting by a lake – he had flipped her on her back and she was sprawled on the sand, breathing hard from the exertion of the swordfight._

"_When I jab you with my sword, you'll feel it…"_

_Then he was lying on a road, rain falling hard around them. His face was contorted in a grimace of agony, but he smiled when he saw her nonetheless, as she reached down for him, wincing in empathy when she felt his broken ribs._

"_Hey, beautiful! Here I didn't think you noticed…"_

_Now she was at the hospital watching him sleep, waiting for him to wake up._

"_You look good, I must say. All _Where's Cora?_ in a commanding voice. Chills."_

_Next they were in a strange place, a tavern perhaps – she was asking, begging him to become a part of something, to give her the bean back. He looked at her, his gaze softening, and placed the little pouch in her hand._

"_Quite passionate, Swan…"_

_Then they were at the docks. She was heartbroken after seeing Greg and Tamara take Henry through the portal, until she saw the ship coming back. Saw Killian coming back._

"_I thought you didn't care about anyone but yourself."_

"_Maybe I just needed reminding that I could."_

_Lastly, they were on the deck of the _Jolly Roger_ at night, and she – she had –_

"_You… you said my name. Say it again. It has been so long since I last heard it spoken, it almost sounds foreign."_

"_Killian…" She saw him smile again, felt his arms around her. And then he laughed, a carefree and joyous laugh, and her heart simply melted._

"_Thank you, Emma. I want to hear it from your lips every day from now on."_

Her head was almost exploding with the memories. The pain in her heart was almost unbearable, and she welcomed the darkness one more time.

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Killian opened his eyes. His head bloody hurt like the hangover he hadn't had in a hundred years; he felt blood trickling from his temple where Emma had hit him, and couldn't suppress a chuckle. _Tough lass, indeed._ Then he saw her unconscious on the floor, and began to struggle twice as hard. "Emma! Emma, please wake up! Wake up, love!"

Emma stirred, then opened her eyes at last, and he swore that she recognized him. For a moment, he was giddily certain that the kiss had indeed worked, but then registered with dismay that she was still a mermaid. Yet she swam over and hastily untied him, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears as she brushed light fingers over his injury. "I'm sorry, Killian. I'm so sorry."

He winced. "Don't worry, lass. The important thing is that you remember now. You do, don't you?"

"Yes, I do. But I'm still a freaking mermaid!"

"I do believe there's a remedy for that." He brought his hand to the back of her neck, and kissed her passionately. A pulse of light and magic shook the cave, enveloping them in warmth.

Emma felt her legs move again as the tail melted away, but she also felt the overwhelming sensation of drowning, and panic lanced deep in her heart. But before it could strangle her, Killian took a small vial from the pouch at his belt and opened it with his teeth. "Quick, love. Drink this."

She obeyed, and the horrible sensation stopped immediately. "Thank you."

Breathing difficulties sorted, she felt Killian's gaze burning into her skin, and it struck her, to her absolute mortification, that she was completely naked. A fierce blush boiled up her cheeks, and she swam at the approximate speed of an Olympian to hide behind one of the chests. "Oh my God! Why didn't you say something?"

"Well darling, first I was more worried with getting you the potion so you wouldn't drown. And then… in my defense, the sight was more than distracting." His infuriating smirk was firmly back in place.

She rolled her eyes. Curse or no curse, some things would never change. "Still, I can't go to the surface looking like this, and I somehow doubt the mermaids have a dress down here."

Killian peeled his long leather jacket off and swam up next to her, pulling her close and covering her with it. "You can wear this, and I hope I won't have another unpleasant encounter with your father's fist because of it. Now, let's go. The potion only lasts for twelve hours, and I don't know how much time has passed since I took it."

They left the cave and headed into the open sea, the ascent quite a bit slower than the descent had been. But they finally broke the surface, and Emma, sucking in a ragged gasp of sultry Neverland night air, her first in God knew how long, called for her parents. Snow and David immediately tossed the ropes and helped both of them aboard the _Roger_, Snow crushing her daughter in a tight hug and David anxiously examining her for any injuries.

Killian watched the reunion with a smile. But then, as he tried to get to his feet, his head reeled sickeningly, and his hand fluttered to the cut at his temple. Blood was staining his fingers, and he felt his vision going dark.

Emma heard a thud, and whirled around to see Killian unconscious on the deck.

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_**Review? =)**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

_There be none of Beauty's daughters with a magic like thee;_

_And like music on the waters_

_Is thy sweet voice to me._

_When, as if its sound were causing_

_The charmed ocean's pausing,_

_The waves lie still and gleaming:_

_And the hill'd winds seem dreaming._

There be none of beauty's daughters – _Lord Byron_

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_**A/N: This story is now rated M, and for a bloody good reason. So… you've been warned ;-)**_

_**As usual, endless thanks to the amazing, talented and incredible Hilary for editing this… this was my first time ever writing smut and she made it 100000 times better than what I had written. You rock and I love you so much bby! Thank you for being the most incredible beta ever.**_

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Emma whirled around to see Killian unconscious on the deck, and flung herself to her knees beside him, a terrible fear suddenly strangling her heart. Her hands darted in frantic search of what was wrong, and that was when she noticed that the wound at his temple – the one she'd given him – was deeper than she'd thought. Much deeper, in fact, and it was bleeding profusely, Killian's face getting paler by the minute.

"Emma, what _happened?"_ Snow's voice was sharp with concern, and Regina and Gold had just arrived to boot. The latter was very obviously not looking at Emma, and just as she was wondering why, the former shot her an extremely pointed stare, and she looked down. Killian's coat was open to reveal her naked body. She'd been so preoccupied with her pirate that she hadn't realized she was flashing everyone. _Shit._

"Oh God," she muttered, hastily buttoning it, then turned back to them. "I smashed a mirror on his head down in the cave, when I was still a mermaid. The wound didn't look that bad, I thought he was fine… I guess it reopened when we got out of the water, but this is not enough blood to make him unconscious. Could he be under some kind of curse too?" She looked pleadingly at Gold.

"I don't think so, dearie. Salt water is known to slow bleeding, but it likely started again while you were swimming up from the cave; the exertion surely would have affected him. You should clean the wound and let him rest," Gold declared, but Emma knew he was holding something back. She searched for Killian's pulse and found that it was getting fainter, his breathing so light it was barely even there.

"No! No, he can't die! Oh God, we have to do something!" She glanced desperately from her parents, who looked astonished and sad, to Regina and Gold, who wore respective masks of mild indifference. Then she turned, and realized that the bloody trail led all the way to the reddish water lapping the _Jolly Roger's _hull.

"Oh God…" Tears began to drip down her face, making her feel helpless, _hating _it. Then with a start, she remembered how she had saved Henry after he ate the apple turnover, and how Killian's kiss had turned her back into a human. She had to try kissing him again. Love was supposed to be the strongest magic of all.

Not caring that everyone was watching them, she leaned down and brushed a kiss across Killian's lips. She felt the strong surge of magic, but that was it. Nothing happened. He was still bleeding and unconscious.

"Why didn't it work? Why didn't he wake up?" Emma's voice sounded strange to her own ears, more scared than she had ever been in her life.

"True Love's Kiss can only cure magical ailments, Miss Swan. He's not cursed, just wounded. Badly wounded, of course, but the kiss will not help." As Regina's voice filtered through the racket in her head, Emma was surprised to note that it was soft, almost sad. Still, what she had said was not comforting in the least.

"Gold, you cured Belle when Killian shot her. You can do the same for him now, please!" Emma looked up to him again, and was shocked and furious to see the almost maniacal grin forming on his lips.

"Sorry, dearie, but no. I'm afraid that I am not, nor will I ever be, in the state of mind to _want_ to cure the Captain."

Emma shot to her feet so fast that she almost knocked over Snow, who was on her knees as well. "Listen, you bastard! Killian offered his help, _and_ gave up his revenge against you, to help us look for my son, your grandson. So you get into the right state of mind to save him this instant!" Emma's voice had risen sharply, and she felt the unmistakable surge of magic within her, a light golden glow.

Gold glanced toward the prone pirate, then back to her. "You didn't let me finish, Miss Swan. I was going to say that _you_ could heal your dear captain – your magic has gotten stronger, I noticed it the minute you returned. Apparently, the mermaids' curse affected it somehow. Use it now, and you will be able to cure him."

Emma, taken aback, looked down at her hands. The golden glow was waxing stronger, and she got to her knees beside Killian once more. She closed her eyes and moved her hands over his temple, trying to force the magic out.

"You need to stop thinking so much. Magic is based on feeling. Remember how you did it back in my shop when you cast the protection spell," Gold coached from behind her, and she remembered how she had willed all her thoughts into protecting her loved ones from Cora and Regina. She thought about Killian declaring that he loved her, of his kiss in the cave, how her heart felt as if it were on fire after being so cold, and lastly, how would she feel if he died. It was almost too much, but she had to. Had to use it, control it, channel it.

"_No, he can't die, he won't! I love him! I need this to work, please…"_ Emma's thoughts morphed into a strong pulse running through her body, and she felt the warm tingling of magic, imagined Killian smiling at her.

When she looked down again, a golden energy was sparking from her hands, closing his wound. She watched the color returning to his cheeks. And then at last, after what felt like forever, Killian opened his ridiculously blue eyes.

Emma expelled a relieved sob, then crashed her mouth against his in a passionate, desperate kiss; she heard her father's disgusted groan, but didn't care. This was followed by Regina and Gold's footsteps hastily retreating, Regina muttering something about not needing to see that, thank you very much, and then her mother's discreet cough signaling they should stop making such a spectacle. She reluctantly broke the kiss and gazed into Killian's face, that beautiful smile he had worn up on the beanstalk swelling her heart with joy… and love.

"Hey, beautiful," he murmured huskily, and she rolled her eyes, just for the sake of form.

"Okay, you two need to rest now, and Emma needs some clothes. It's almost evening, and we've all had a long few days." Charming's tone brooked no argument, and he looked at Killian with something between annoyance and relief.

For his part, the pirate was almost grateful for Snow's interruption. Emma's kiss had summoned ideas that were hardly appropriate in front of her parents, and without said interruption, he would have had another close encounter with the prince's fist. "Too right, Your Majesty. We are indeed all tired and slightly _on edge_. Certain recent events have gotten _a rise_ out of us."

Charming apparently chose to let that slide, but still shot a glare at him. Very well. Deciding that if he was in for a penny, he was in for a bloody enjoyable pound, Killian got to his feet and helped Emma up, drawing her into a slow, sensual embrace that caused Charming to huff indignantly. Killian chuckled louder and let her go only when the prince was somewhat purple in the face; he didn't actually want the man to burst a blood vessel and die on his deck. Horrible mess, and Emma wasn't likely to appreciate it. "Darling, you should get some sleep, but you could also use a bath. There's clean water in the cabin at the end of the hall."

Emma punched his arm. "Are you implying I smell bad? Watch it, buddy."

Killian held up his hand and hook in mock surrender. "Already back to wounding me, so soon after patching me up from your last tender attentions? Cruel lass. But as it happens, not at all. I just thought you may want to get the salt water off your lovely skin," he added, with an obviously appreciative glance downward.

"Mate, I'm warning you…"

Charming's menacing tone made Emma roll her eyes and Killian chuckle yet again. He wondered why he was so unwarrantedly happy, then remembered that his True Love had just saved his life, then given him the most amazing kiss they had ever shared (to date, that was). But once more, Snow interrupted. "Emma, Killian is right. I think a bath is a great idea. It would help you sleep better, I'm sure."

Glancing at the pirate, Emma smirked. "Well, I hope there's enough water for _both_ of us, then. I mean, you definitely don't smell of roses either…" The little minx then proceeded to flash him a downright rude wink, and Killian's jaw almost hit the deck as she sashayed away from him. She couldn't have looked more earthy if she tried.

The prince started after his daughter, then stopped and whirled. "You better not get any ideas, mate. I'll be guarding that door while Emma is inside."

"Well, _mate_, you should know that I _am_ a gentleman, and I wasn't insinuating anything by recommending that bath. I know from experience how uncomfortable it is to be drenched in salt water for an extended period of time. Besides, I have clean water in _my own_ cabin. Her virtue is safe." _For now, you interfering bastard._

The prince sized him up one more time, and grudgingly decided to let it go. They all traipsed belowdecks, and Charming joined his wife, who was already standing guard in the direction Emma had taken. Killian rolled his eyes, then headed into his cabin.

He went to the armoire next to the four-poster bed and removed the half-empty bottle of rum, pouring a glass and downing it in a gulp. He undressed and washed with the basin of fresh water, scrutinizing his reflection in the smoky mirror. There was not even a trace of the wound that had disfigured his temple not even an hour before, and he marveled at how incredible his Swan girl was.

He scouted out a clean shirt and a pair of trousers from his trunk, and eyed the smaller chest hidden at the bottom, smiling at the memory of how he and Milah had acquired it. He no longer felt that agonizing pain when thinking about her – how could he, after what had just happened? His experience earlier had been almost unbelievable, but it soothed his soul.

He finished dressing, then opened the small chest and set it down on his bed. This treasure had been part of a loot from one of the many ships they had attacked back then, and it contained many pieces of jewelry, some not yet finished. He fingered the twin set of plain silver rings: one slimmer, designed for a woman, and the other similar to the ones he always wore. He had looked for the perfect stones to set, as he wanted them to wear those rings as a symbol of their love, almost like wedding bands, but he never did find them. Not before Milah was taken from him.

He closed his eyes, replaying the experience he had lived while unconscious, when he thought he had died.

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_Killian watched Emma being showered with love by Snow and Charming, and was utterly relieved that he had been able to save her, that she was here once more, and the terrible fate of being a mermaid forever had not come to pass. He was almost frightened by how much he loved her; he hadn't thought he would ever feel like that again. A faint, sweetly painful pang of regret and memory stung his heart, and then he felt a sharper pain at his temple. He brought his hand to it, and pulled it away red with blood. The wound must have reopened when they surfaced._

_He started to slip off belowdecks to tend to it, not wanting to interrupt the family reunion, but his vision started to go dark, his steps not quite taking him anywhere. He started to fall, and lost consciousness completely._

_He heard Emma calling his name somewhere above him, and tried to tell her that he was all right. But his body felt so heavy, as if it was no longer his, and it was dragging him down while something else was gently pulling him up._

_Suddenly a warm peace flooded over him, and he let go. His spirit floated above his body, and he tried to get back to it, but a soft, familiar voice was calling his name. He didn't want to turn towards it, convinced that he was just dreaming… or in that strange soft place between life and death, something some of his crewmen had recalled when they were saved from drowning._

_Slowly, he did turn back and then he saw her: Milah. She was as beautiful as he remembered, but her face was more peaceful, her smile happier than he had ever seen it. She called his name again. "Killian."_

"_Milah? … How? Am I…?" He couldn't finish that sentence. His gaze flicked back to Emma, who was now kissing him. He could feel it. He could feel her. Them both, his brave strong women. Until his heart was like to break with it._

"_No, my sweet, you are not dead. It is not your time. Your Emma is going to save you, once more," his old love said, with the utmost tenderness._

"_What do you mean, once more?"_

"_Killian, I was so afraid for so long that you would lose yourself forever. I saw you suffer for so many years with the injustice. I never wanted you to avenge me. Even though my death was violent, my spirit moved on. You made me happier in the few years we were together that I had been in all my life. You respected my choices, gave me adventure and love and home, and consoled me when the grief for leaving my son behind was too much to bear. You even tried to make my wish come true and offer Bae a family when you stumbled across each other in Neverland, and I loved you even more for it. But I always wanted you to find happiness again. To live thinking that your one and only True Love is gone forever and that you have no other chance, is truly terrible. But then you met Emma, the remarkable woman who became so intertwined with both our lives. The mother of my grandson. The savior. From the moment you met her in the Enchanted Forest, I saw the light coming back to your eyes. I was so happy that you had found love again, but you still insisted on pursuing your revenge instead of a new life with her."_

_Hearing the disappointment in her tone, Killian hung his head, not meeting her eyes. "I was so hurt by her leaving me on that beanstalk. I did feel lighter around her, happier than I had in more than three hundred years, but when she abandoned me, I thought she didn't feel the same. And I was ashamed for having fallen in love with another woman when I hadn't avenged you yet." His voice cracked, and he looked up to her once more._

_Her gaze was soft and understanding. "I know, Killian. But Emma was afraid. She had suffered a great deal from rejection; my son hurt her so much thanks to his inability and unwillingness to face his father. She was broken when you met her, just like you. But when you embraced your love for her by going back with that bean, and then offered your help to find Henry, I knew everything was going to be all right. Your soul was saved thanks to her, and your choice to fight for what you always wanted and what you deserve more than anything: a family."_

_She moved closer, and he felt her warmth – not quite as it was when she was alive, but comforting all the same. "Now you need to go back. As I said, this is not your time. You will find my grandson and be very happy with Emma. You will see the final pieces to the puzzle soon." She smiled again, and began to fade._

"_Wait! Milah, what are you talking about? What pieces?"_

"_Soon enough. It's something you weren't meant to find while you were with me, but just as with everything else in life, when the time was right. I love you, Killian. I always will. Never forget that." Her voice was getting distant, but Killian knew he would finally be able to do the one thing he was denied when she was taken from him._

"_I love you too, Milah. You will always be in my heart."_

"_I know, my darling. Now go live."_

_She disappeared in a blinding light and the next thing he knew, he was staring at Emma's face again, the brightest smile he had ever seen on her lips, and she was kissing him with such love and passion that his heart melted._

Killian opened his eyes again and looked at the rings in his hand, wondering if they were meant to be a part of the puzzle. Then he heard the doorknob turning, and saw Emma standing there as if summoned from a dream, a light flush gracing her cheeks. He smiled, and moved toward her with a hungry look in his eye.

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Emma closed the door of the cabin where she'd been dispatched, saw a copper tub filled to the brim, and groaned in satisfaction. She stripped off Killian's coat, which still smelled of him despite its prolonged immersion in salt water, and stepped in with a sigh, sinking her whole body into it, trying to relax. She had never thought that she would experience such terror again after Henry literally died on a hospital bed all those months ago, but when she'd seen Killian lying on the deck like that, bloodied and unconscious, she thought her heart had stopped. She was still amazed at having been able to heal his wound, and the happiness she felt when he opened his eyes had been overwhelming. The sudden desire to melt into his skin and savor every inch of him had taken her by surprise as well.

To her consternation, she felt herself growing increasingly aroused as she recalled that kiss. The images she had conjured when she told him that they both needed a bath weren't helping either. She had done that to twist him in the wind a little, make him realize that he wasn't the only one who could fire off a good innuendo, but it had obviously backfired. Now, she felt such desire that she couldn't even think straight.

She had to dull the need somehow – take matters into her own hands, so to speak – and scooped up a bar of soap from the sideboard. She inhaled its mint and cedar scent, so similar to Killian's own, and wondered if he used it too. It was easy to imagine his dark stubble prickling her skin as his lips trailed down the path she was following with her finger. She continued the slow torture until she reached her most sensitive spot, picturing Killian's impossibly blue eyes looking back at hers, tasting, teasing. Her finger was moving frantically, and with a strangled moan, she came, legs shaking with the force of her release. Panting, she opened her eyes and finished washing her now too-sensitive skin, trying to slow her pulse. Then she heard her mother's soft knock, asking what was taking so long.

"Um, I'm almost finished. I just need to get dressed. Can you bring me some clothes from our cabin, please?"

"Sure, honey. Be right back."

Emma willed her breathing to return to normal, and soon heard Snow return. She opened the door just enough to receive the white tank top, jeans and underwear, mumbling a quick thanks before closing it again. She dried herself with a towel, blowing out a long breath, and got dressed quickly. She used her fingers to untangle her hair, then finally opened the door.

Her parents, both of them, were waiting for her. "Emma, is something wrong?"

"No. Nothing." She hardly thought telling them that she was hotter than hell for a certain pirate down the hall would go over very well.

"Let's get something to eat. You must be starving."

"Yeah… _you have no idea._" Emma muttered it, but Snow gave her a curious look nevertheless.

They ate supper in the galley, then returned to their cabin. Emma crawled under the covers of her cot, trying to convince herself that sleep was what she needed right now. Yes. Sleep. Real sleep. Ordinary sleep. Sleep sleep. Not… _sleep._

Right.

She slipped under quickly, but her dreams were lurid, vivid, sweaty. Killian was moving above her with fire in his eyes, setting her skin ablaze, whispering her name like a prayer, telling her how much he loved her.

She started awake abruptly, her skin too hot, the darkness and soft, even breathing around her indicating that the rest of her roommates were out. Good. She quietly got up from the cot and tiptoed to the door, telling herself she just needed to make sure that Killian was doing all right. Then she could get back to sleep.

She reached the captain's quarters, and slowly turning the knob, let herself in.

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"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes, love." Killian's voice was low and husky as he stopped in front of Emma, caressing her flushed cheek. His gaze reflected the desire that she felt.

Emma smiled at him, leaning into the warmth of his palm. She brought her hand to the temple, tracing the spot where his wound had been just a few hours before. "I… I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay. Does your head hurt?"

"No, love, it doesn't. But I do have a very different kind of ache right now." Moving still closer, he pressed his hips against hers, and she felt his very obvious arousal low against her belly. Subtlety, thy name was not Killian Jones, but she was long past the desire for subtlety. She wanted to be seduced, taken, won, _completed, _and sucked in a breath, reveling in his scent, mint and cedar like the soap, with a hint of saltwater and rum. That, his male musk, _him, _was making her head swim.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered. "When I woke up and saw you smiling back at me, when you kissed me like that… I swear, I would have taken you on the spot if we were alone. I want you, Emma. I can't say it any plainer." He trailed a hot line from her earlobe to her mouth, and sealed it to his in a fiery kiss.

She wanted him too. God, she did. She traced his lower lip with her tongue, seeking entrance, and he complied, starting a dance that had them both gasping. Then he stepped back, led her to his bed, and maneuvered her more or less gallantly onto the quilt, his weight pinning her comfortably beneath him.

They only broke the kiss when the need for air was overwhelming. Emma's green eyes fixed on his blue ones, and she clutched the pouch again. She removed it from her neck and opened it, spilling the two sapphires into her hand.

"You know, these sapphires called to me back at that cave, while I was a mermaid. I didn't understand then, but now I know that something never let me forget about you. They are just like your eyes." Emma showed him the jewels, and Killian kissed her again, then took them from her hand, reaching for the two silver rings.

"Got hold of these a long time ago. Back when Milah was still alive." He sat back on his knees and fitted one of the sapphires inside the mount of the slimmer ring, then used his hook to secure it in place.

"I never found the right stones for these rings. Now I have. You have brought light back into my life, my love, and I never want to be parted from you." He mounted the second stone on the broader ring and looked back into Emma's eyes, his heart beating so loudly that he swore she could hear it. Then he brought her right hand to his lips and slipped the ring onto her fourth finger, kissing it tenderly.

"I love you, Emma. More than I ever thought I could love anyone. This ring is my promise that I'll never leave you while I'm still in this or any world, and while you still want me beside you."

Emma saw his eyes glinting with unshed tears, and took the other ring from him. "I love you too, Killian. I never want you to leave either, and this ring is my promise that I'll never _let_ you." She slid the ring onto his middle finger, between the other ones he wore, where it sparkled brighter than the rest.

Then she brought her lips to his, a slow and passionate kiss that swiftly turned hungry and desperate. She unbuttoned his shirt in double-quick time and tossed it aside, then took a moment to admire his chest – the dark hair, the chiseled hard sailor muscles, _all _of it turning her blood to fire. It rose and fell sharply, his breathing short and shallow.

He wrapped his arm over her back and started to kiss her again, taking his time. "Are you particularly attached to this piece of clothing, love?" The tip of his hook poised at the neck of the tank top.

"No, wh – "

"Perfect." He ripped it clean through, and chucked the now-useless garment to the floor to join his shirt, eyes roving hungrily over her. "Mother of mercy, lass. You're bloody stunning."

"You're not too bad yourself."

Killian chuckled, kissing the top of each breast, then between them, teasing them with gentle strokes, thumb and forefinger. This elicited a low moan from her that went directly to his nether regions, which by now were very, very interested in getting bloody on with it. He closed his lips over her right nipple, savoring her sweet hot skin, and she thrashed under him. "Killian…"

"What do you want, love? Tell me what you want." His voice was thick with desire, his hand trailing to her waist, waiting for her to agree.

"Oh God, Killian… Please, I want you, I need you now."

"With pleasure, love." He adroitly unbuttoned her jeans, sliding them down her legs, and stopped his delicious assault on her upper half long enough to admire her lower half, clad only in her black lace panties. "I would rip those too, but I think I prefer to keep them. Souvenir of my conquest."

"You're incorrigible."

"Pirate, love," he said with a wink. "And yet you _do _still love me."

"Yes," she gritted out. "I do. But not if you don't keep going."

With torturous slowness, he lowered his mouth to the black lace, pulling them off with his teeth, which was hands down the hottest thing she had ever seen in her life. Giddy pleasure pulsed through her in waves, turning her hot and cold and lightheaded, and when he finally rid her of the panties, he lifted them to his nose, inhaling her scent. He tucked them into his pocket, then leaned back in, his mouth on hers, thumb rasping at her entrance.

"Killian," she managed. "This is not fair. I'm naked and you're still half-dressed."

"Darling, what on earth makes you think that I play fair? But in this case, you _can_ take care of that. Can't you?"

"You bet your ass, buddy."

"I would love to take that bet." He kissed her. "I win."

"Do you?" It was Emma's turn to give him a playful smirk, and she brought her hands up his thighs, stroking his hardness before undoing the laces of his unusually constricting trousers, pleased with the groan that left his lips. She freed him from the black leather at last, and sucked in a breath at the sight.

"Like what you see?" He had the sheer arrogant swagger that only the man with the perfect, well, everything could have. Bastard. God, she needed him now.

"It's… not bad."

Killian laughed at her obvious understatement, capturing her lips once more. His hand moved low again, teasing her sensitive nub until she was writhing. "Please…"

Never stopping his work, he kissed down her stomach to her thighs, driving her to the brink, and she felt his tongue exploring her slick center, sending wrenching shivers through her like detonations. She was getting closer to her peak, and fisted her hands in his hair. "Killian, I need you. In me. Now. _Please."_

Moving up, he kissed her again and she tasted herself on his lips. "That can be arranged, love." He poised at her entrance, she arched her hips, and he finally thrust all the way inside her. He stretched her in the most delicious way, his hot, pulsing length fashioning the exact exquisite friction to drive her mad.

After a few moments, he started to move, her legs wrapping around his hips, her breaths and moans taking him almost to inferno. He brought his lips to her pulse point, nipping and sucking at it, marking her. "Mine. Mine. Emma. _Mine_."

"Oh yes… Killian, oh God. Faster. _Faster_."

He growled low in his throat, the sound so sensual she almost went over the edge right there, and his thrusts turned erratic, the pressure on that sweet spot inside her making her explode into a thousand colors, spasming. She lost it, and with a hoarse cry he followed, spilling himself inside her. He sprawled on top of her, his face in her neck, ear on her heart, hearing her breathe, hearing her live, his voice thick, broken, a whisper, a promise. "Emma. Emma. I love you. So much."

"I love you too. So much. Killian. _Killian_."

Their breathing slowly returned to normal. Then he rolled onto his back, sliding out of her. He unsnapped his hook, laid it aside – it had been forgotten in the heat of the moment, but he didn't want to hurt her, never wanted to hurt her – and pulled her close, lips browsing at her temple.

"That was… bloody brilliant," Emma managed at last.

Killian chuckled at her choice of words. "I did warn you, lass. When I jabbed you with my sword, you'd feel it."

Emma laughed, the first honest, unrestrained and purely joyful laugh she had had in what felt like forever. The sound was sweet to Killian's ears, and he felt such love he wondered how could he even try to contain it – not that he wanted to. "You should know that I've never lied to you, love. After the first time we met, that is."

"I know." She kissed him again. "But don't get comfortable."

"Around you?" He pulled the tousled quilts up. "I burn."

Emma tried to say something, but instead, just smiled helplessly. She snuggled closer to him, inhaling their scent, and quickly fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.

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She woke suddenly, a few hours later, still curled against Killian's lean, warm body. She kissed him lightly, and he opened his eyes, instantly alert. "Emma? Still a few more hours before sunrise, lass. Can't you sleep?"

"No, I can't. But I… just realized. I know where Henry is." Her smile was bright, her eyes full of purpose.

"Well, then." He held her gaze. "We will get him back. _Together."_

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_**Review? =)**_


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